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Sadie O. Horton

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Woman mariner during World War II
Sadie Owney Horton
Coast Guard identification photo, c. 1942
BornOctober 25, 1899
Ivor, Virginia, United States
DiedDecember 8, 1997(1997-12-08) (aged 98)
Elizabeth City, North Carolina, United States
Known forFirst recorded female Merchant Marine veteran of World War II
SpouseWilliam L. Horton Sr.

Sadie Carrie Owney Horton (October 25, 1899 – December 8, 1997) was an American female mariner who worked aboard an East Coast U.S. Merchant Marine barge. In February 2017, Horton posthumously received official U.S. military veteran's status for her wartime service, becoming the first recorded female Merchant Marine veteran of World War II.

Biography

Sadie Carrie Owney was born in 1899 in Ivor, Virginia, the daughter of Arthur Oswald Oney Sr. and Mary Lou Johnson. Her family moved to North Carolina around 1909. In 1920, Horton married William Lee Horton Sr.

During World War II, Horton worked as a riveter at the Consolidated Defense Plant in Elizabeth City. After her son William Jr. was killed in action when the Tug Menominee was sunk by a German U-boat in 1942, Horton and her family relocated to serve aboard an East Coast U.S. Merchant Marine barge near Williamston, with her husband serving as captain.

Horton applied for seaman papers in 1942, but was denied papers by the United States Maritime Commission office as they were not accepting women in the Merchant Marines at that time. She was, however, issued a formal U.S. Coast Guard identification to use for work.

Horton served for a total of 36 months, making 90 round trips from Hampton Roads, Virginia to as north as Nova Scotia. She filled various roles, including as the ship's cook, running the boiler, and working in the ship's wheelhouse. She actively served until December 31, 1946.

Horton died in 1997, aged 98.

Legacy

In February 2017, Horton posthumously received a DD 214 honorable discharge from the U.S. military which granted her veteran's status for her wartime service, becoming the first recorded female Merchant Marine veteran of World War II.

References

  1. ^ "Horton first woman to earn veteran status as WWII merchant mariner". Daily Advance. 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-08-18. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  2. ^ "Sadie Horton, Merchant Mariner and WWII Veteran". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  3. ^ "Highlighting Our Heroes: Sadie Horton". Navy League of the United States. 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  4. United States Census, 1920
  5. Summary of Merchant Marine Personnel Casualties, World War II. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1950.
  6. Milton, Susan. "Merchant mariners seek recognition". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  7. ^ Zimmerman, Andrew (2018-07-10). "Doing Their Part: Sadie O. Horton and the Coastwise Mariners in WWII". Women Offshore. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  8. ^ "75 Years Later, The First Woman Earns Veteran Status as a U.S. Merchant Mariner" (PDF). The Maritime Academy Charter School Anchor. Vol. 3, no. 13. March 13, 2017. p. 2.
  9. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1288, H.R. 1494, H.R. 1623, H.R. 1809, H.R. 2086, H.R. 2138, H.R. 2189, H.R. 2341, H.R. 2382, and H.R. 2423: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session. United States Congress House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. June 28, 2013.
  10. "The Forgotten Merchant Mariners of WWII". MarineLink. 2010-12-09. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  11. "Invisible Women Mariners of WWII". magazines.marinelink.com. November 2010. p. 54. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  12. "Obituary - Sadie Owney Horton". The Virginian-Pilot. December 9, 1997.
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